High Viz stuff

[LEC]

Its getting to that time where you so easily get caught out riding after work - so baring in mind I am going to be safety aware this year rather than trotting fast to get home and stock up on high viz - what is the best things to get without looking like an idiot and going crazy?

I was thinking tabard for me, leg jobbys for the horse and maybe one other thing?

 

[Capriole]

aim to be seen from the front, side, and back, try one of those breastplate jobbies

 

[vicster]

I just wear the tabbard and put the legs wraps on the horse but i saw someone riding out the other evening and she had them on her reins and martingale too and it looked good and very visible

 

[LEC]

I ride in a grakle and breast plate so a few of those options are out. Maybe need a browband jobby. I was looking in Robinsons and it seems possible to be a little yellow blob now.

 

[Capriole]

not just yellow, you can be a pink blob too

 

[AmyMay]

I have a bright yellow musto short riding coat - you absolutely can't miss me in that. It wasn't cheap, but I've had it about four years now, and it still looks like new.

I'm always the right temperature in it, regardless of what the weather is doing. Absolutely worth every penny of its expensive price tag!

I don't put anything on the horse.

 

[Happy Bird]

And green too

 

[Capriole]

you can use the hi viz jobbie with a real breastplate, its only a bit of strapping

 

[Capriole]

and blue and orange (according to an ad in the back of a mag

)

 

[JoBo]

I think the luminous breast plates are a really good idea because that tends to be right in the eye line of the car.

I have to say though that we don't hack out at any time of the year without at least a High Viz tabard! Better safe then sorry!

 

[Capriole]

alternatively, if you dont waant to use a braestplate, use some of those bridle/rein tubes you can get, but put them onto your leather breastplate

 

[TGM]

A hat band is a good idea - it can be seen from front and behind, plus also over the top of hedges on twisty roads (so cars can spot you before they come round the corner).

 

[Capriole]

i read a letter in one of my mags, that said the writer (a motorist) had seen some odd unexplained yellow blobs moving up and down, right in the far distance, and when motorist got close could see it was leg bands on a horse. the rider also was wearing hi viz, but the bobbing yellow was was caught the eye.

 

[JoBo]

Good thinking Jessica, hadn't thought of that!

 

[_April_]

I make sure I use a tabard all year round but in the Winter I sometimes also use leg boots and a tail bandage.

If it's especially dull I can also stick on my yellow fluroescent exercise sheet, nothing will miss you in that!

 

[Greyhound]

Hat band, spat bands on the horse and a tabbard for me.

Gh

 

[Stuff]

Whilst anything for your horse should be of good quality, you can buy high visibility jackets from some pound shops which you could wear, if say, you prefer to spend more money on your horse.

 

[TheresaW]

I wear a hat band and tabard, and on horse I have bands attached to her bridle. Also, her rainsheet is reflective. I only have to cross a road though, don't actually have to ride along the road.

 

[tuscanyD]

Yes i read an article a while ago that stated the horses legs are the thing most prominent in a motorists vision.

But the more the better it all helps. I bought I high viz workmans coat from our local market for £15 - they're pretty widely available and warm and waterproof. If you fall off in a ditch no danger of the air ambulance not spotting you.

 

[10past6]

I wear hi viz hat cover and tabard and my horse wears the full hi viz bridle kit, boots and if the weathers not great an exercise sheet with a tail cover. So nobody cant say they didn't see us, i also wear a tabard in the summer just to be extra safe.

 

[Ginn]

Just go for the christmas tree look - when you look that ridiculous people slow down anyway as they are laughing so much!

 

[henryhorn]

The tabard we have is wonderful, it is high vis reflective mesh but has red led's all round that you can turn on to flash. the battery lasts ages too.
I have seen it from a mile away it is so visible, yet being light is no problem to wear. I think we bought our s from Mole Valley, have you got a branch near you?

 

[Bex7]

riding out this morning (pre daylight) I had a tabbard on and Bert had an excercise sheet (courtesy of the MOD giveaway a few months ago)
I am looking to get a breast plate type strap and also the slides for the bridle etc

 

[Jay89]

I always wear a tabard as you can be seen from behind and infront and plus the reflective triangle i have on da back of mine glows wen caught by light. I think leg bands are a gd ides as are hat bands!

 

[Marnie]

I have a hat band, tabard, leg spats on all 4 legs, breastplate, bridle set and a tail guard. I also use a quarter sheet with a red ligh on the tail guard. We had a horse killed in an early summer morning when the driver of a sports car couldn't see because of the low sun, so I make sure that I am riding away from the sun early in the morning - it restricts rides but I would rather be safe. I use this all year round as it can be as bad in the summer as winter. You also need to check your insurance, some insurances do not cover RTAs is you do not have a certain amount of i-viz. It is also worth remembering that if you are in a low car, you may not be able to see a tabard, it is the legs and lower down the horse that will be seen.